Jobless Rate Remains Stable This Summer

The county's unemployment rate essentially remained stable in July, state figures released Friday show.

The state Department of Economic and Employment Development reported that Carroll's jobless rate was 5.1 percent in July, compared to 5.2 percent in June.

In July 1990, county unemployment was 4.0 percent.

The national rate for August remained unchanged at 6.8 percent, the Labor Department reported Friday. (U.S. numbers are one month ahead of state numbers.)

Only four fewer people were employed in July in the county than were in June, DEED said.

The numbers show that 3,327 people were unemployed in June and 3,323 in July.

The drop in the county rate follows a statewide trend, said Paul Manacher, a DEED spokesman.

The unemployment rate dropped in Baltimore and every county but onein Maryland in July, the numbers show. In Kent County, the jobless rate increased from 6.2 percent in June to 8.5 percent in July, DEED reported.

More young people entered the labor force in July, and the number of jobs increased enough to accommodate them, Manacher said.

The state's unemployment rate dropped from 6.0 percent in June to5.5 percent in July, DEED reported. In July 1990, Maryland's joblessrate was 5.0 percent.

Across the state, 72,435 more people were in the civilian labor force in July than in June, and 80,191 more people were employed, the state said. The number of unemployed people in Maryland in July was 144,286, DEED said.

"This month's increase inthe labor force and employment indicate that people are feeling optimistic about finding jobs," DEED Secretary Mark L. Wasserman said in a press release. "As we emerge from the recession, we will continue to see dramatic movements in employment before a consistent pattern occurs."

Carroll County's unemployment rate has been stable since April, when it was 5.5 percent. It reached its highest point this year in February at 7.4 percent.

In Carroll, 2,146 more people were in thecivilian labor force in July than in June and 2,150 more people wereemployed, DEED said. In July, 65,783 people were in the civilian labor force and 62,460 were employed, DEED said.